Is WoW Classic Free to Play Up to Level 20?
Yes, World of Warcraft Classic offers a generous, unlimited free trial allowing you to play up to level 20. This gives you plenty of time to explore the early zones, sample multiple races and classes, and experience this old-school version of WoW before needing to pay.
What Can You Access in the WoW Classic Free Trial?
The WoW Classic trial may be limited to level 20, but there is still a ton of content and features you can enjoy 100% free including:
- All original launch races and classes to choose from
- Hundreds of early quests spread across multiple zones
- Ability to join player guilds and access chat channels
- Farming, professions and auction houses to earn gold
- Group dungeons like Deadmines and Wailing Caverns
- Expansive capital cities like Orgrimmar and Ironforge
- PvP experience via battlegrounds like Warsong Gulch
You aren‘t just limited to solo questing and leveling either. I‘d highly recommend joining up with groups for dungeons runs even as early as level 15. This will let you start practicing your class role and give you a taste of the social, cooperative side of WoW Classic.
| Feature | Free Trial Access |
|---|---|
| Level Cap | 20 |
| Races/Classes | All |
| Zones | 1-20 zones |
| Dungeons | Early dungeons |
| Professions | Up to 100 skill |
| Chat/Guilds | Yes |
| Auction House | Yes |
| Battleground PvP | Yes |
Take Your Time and Experiment Freely
One of the best things about the WoW Classic trial experience is there is no time limit or pressure. You can leisurely level at your own pace, spending hours just wandering around admiring the scenery if you want!
I‘d recommend creating multiple starter characters so you can truly sample everything Classic has to offer. I suggest:
- Beefy Tauren Warrior
- Sneaky Undead Rogue
- Mystical Troll or Tauren Shaman
- Brainy Gnome Mage
See which playstyle clicks with you the most then focus on leveling up that character, at least to level 10-15, before the trial ends.
My advice would be don‘t worry about min-maxing or leveling efficiency too much while on the free trial. Just soak in the ambience and rediscover the magic of early WoW!
How Does the Classic Free Trial Compare to Retail WoW?
The WoW Classic trial works almost identically compared to the retail version of WoW:
- Play 100% free up to level 20
- No time limits or restrictions
- Full access to starting zones and early leveling experiences
- Ability to be social and join guilds
The main difference is the Classic trial gives you access to WoW in its original form rather than the modern BfA/Shadowlands gameplay. This means:
- Slower pace, more RPG focus, less quality-of-life perks
- Visually much more dated and low fidelity
- Classes have fewer abilities and talent builds
So they are very comparable free trials, just with vastly different gameplay eras and engines. Choose Classic for nostalgia or retail for a more polished experience!
Prepare for Subscription After Level 20
While the free trial gives you a great taste, to experience the true depth and appeal of WoW Classic you will need to subscribe around level 20. A subscription enables:
- Continuing the leveling journey all the way to 60
- Unlocking challenging end-game dungeon and raids
- Building up professions beyond 100 skill
- Buying mounts and other exciting upgrades
Once subscribed, the world really starts opening up. You‘ll journey from humble forests into sinister undead towns, desolate deserts and ancient elven homelands. Grouping becomes key taking on elite quests and dungeons like Sunken Temple and Blackrock Depths.
The Classic journey to 60 takes many dedicated hours but is extremely rewarding, especially sharing it alongside friends and guildmates.
The Current State and Future of WoW Classic
WoW Classic was first launched back in 2019, giving old-school fans official Blizzard legacy servers to play on. It‘s seen excellent post-launch support too:
- Over 1.1 million concurrent players as of March 2023
- Addition of the Burning Crusade expansion in 2021
- Upcoming Wrath of the Lich King expansion in 2024
- Possible future Classic expansions like Cataclysm and Mists of Pandaria
All retail WoW expansions since Legion are also now included for free when you subscribe to either version.
My speculation is we could see the Classic free trial itself expanded in scope. Level 20 is very limited given the WoW origins experience goes to 60! I wouldn‘t be surprised if Blizzard raises the trial to 50 or 60 someday.
For now though any WoW fan can enjoy hundreds of hours revisiting Azeroth‘s early days completely free up to 20. Just set hearth in Goldshire inn to remind yourself where the grand adventure truly began!
